The Wrestling Collector Store

Saturday September 26th I was in Parsippany, New Jersey for the 2026 Atlantic APCO Conference, which runs from the 27th to 30th, however my team and I drove won to the conference from Maine, and with the approaching Nor'easter we headed down on Friday to avoid the storm.

That left me with all day Saturday to do some exploring, and that I did.  My team member Jessica and I first went to New Jersey Horror Con because Betsy Baker and Theresa Tilly, two of the 3 ladies of the Evil Dead movie were supposed to be there, however after paying admission, found out one was sick so they both cancelled.  As we already paid we spent some time taking in the vendors and I picked up a couple small things.  There were a lot of celebrities there, but no one I wanted the meet that I hadn't met before.

We then headed north to Stockholm, New Jersey and The Wrestling Collector!  I had first learned about it on Facebook, and a couple months back Matt Cardona and Brian Meyers of the Major Figures Podcast filmed a vlog at the store for their YouTube page.

It's not a huge store but it is jammed with wrestling collectibles and memorabilia.  The owner of the store, Tommy Ferrero, is also the promoter for the ISPW: Independent Superstars of Pro Wrestling promotion, which has been running shows in 1998.  He was not there as his mother was running the shop.

There is stuff stacked all over the place, when you walk in on the right side he has a small museum display of ring worm memorabilia.  This is also where everything that is signed if located.  Figures, posters, 8 x 10's and anything else with a signature.

To the left of the entrance is a side room with magazine, programs, VHS, DVD's, wrestling figures, books and more.  I would say 75% of what was in the shop was WWF / WWE, which makes sense as we are right in the heart of the WWF's territory. 

I was in there for almost an hour and a half looking through everything.  I did picked out a few things that I bought, I tried to be reasonable because there was so much stuff I would have liked to pick up, but it would be just buying stuff to buy stuff.  

I felt some of the prices were reasonable and others not so much, but that's just my opinion.  All VHS were $15, all DVD's were $10, Magazines and Programs were $10 or as marked, all books were $20, and loose figures were anything from $5 to $20 depending on the figure.  In package were as marked, and then there was a bunch of stuff not marked and she had to call him to ask what he wanted.

This right here I was extremely tempted to buy, it was The Wrestling Album, and when I was 6 years old my Dad got me this exact thing for Christmas.  It was unique because the packaging was record album size but for a cassette tape.  They were asking $60, and I almost pulled the trigger on it.

What I think is unique about the program was the paper insert inside.  WWF used to print a generic program to use at multiple venues and shows, and they would include a paper insert with the date, location, and card for the night.  This particular insert was for Madison Square Garden the night Bob Backlund lost the WWF Championship to Diesel.

I had this video game for the original Nintendo, this copy was original sealed.  I have no idea what they were asking for it.

There was so many programs and posters for Madison Square Garden and the New York and New Jersey area.  I looked as all the MSG programs and I decided if they had one with someone on the cover that I could get signed I would pick it up, sadly everyone featured had passed away.

After much deliberation this is what I decided to pick up:

My favorite wrestling to go back and watch is Jim Crockett Promotions 1983 - 1988, to me it's just the best!  This VHS is the 1988 Great American Bash PPV from July 10, 1988 in Baltimore.  This would be the last PPV under the Jim Crockett Promotions banner and the next PPV Starrcade was after the sale to Ted Turner.  I also have the program to this event signed by Ric Flair and Lex Luger.

First is a WWF program from featuring Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda that I feel confident that I can get signed.  The second is a special look at "Mr. USA" Tony Atlas, as he lives in Maine and I see him several times a year I know I will get this signed.  The Tony Atlas program had the paper insert for September 21, 1981 at Madison Square Garden.

Along with the Tony Atlas program was this Poster, which is in rough shape, but is pretty cool.  I'll get Tony to sign this as well.  The last photo is for size reference on the poster.

I had a pretty awesome time at The Wrestling Collector store.  I coupe things I do which I had picked up, and I just might have time to scoot back up before I head home on Wednesday.

You can read all about my trip to New Jersey for the 2026 Atlantic APCO Conference here.

Here is the video from Major Figures Podcast of their tour of the shop.

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time! 

My Great American Bash 1988 Program

On July 10, 1988 the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, Maryland was the site of The Great American Bash, the final Jim Crockett Promotions pay-per-view event.  On this day, the 36th Anniversary of the event I thought it would be a great time to share, in depth, the original program from this event that I acquired at WrestleCon during mania weekend this year. 

Rolling into day 2 of WrestleCon this year, April 6th, I was slated to get a 1991 Impel WCW Card of the Four Horsemen signed by SID and Ric Flair.  This card features, Barry Windham, SID, Ric Flair, & Arn Anderson.  I had Arn sign it on June 10, 2022 at a Big Time Wrestling show in Webster, MA.

Barry Windham was supposed to sign the card in March of this year at the Wrestling Classic, however due to a Spring snowstorm his flight was cancelled.  They did do a private signing make up in June, however It was not announced until May.

That morning I get to the hall and look for SID and he is not at his table.  I ask the handlers there who tell me that SID cancelled last minute.  I had heard rumors that SID was a frequent no show or last minute cancellation type guy.  Not wanting to waste the $79 Ric Flair signature I pre-paid for I didn't want him to sign this card, trouble is I didn't bring anything else.  So the hunt was on to find something else for Flair to sign and quickly.  

I started searching around at vendor tables looking for Wonderama Trading cards and I found one, but it's Michael Hayes slamming Flair, why would I want Flair to sign that?  I mean if Hayes had signed it, sure, but not Flair first.  I was stressing hard.

I got in line for Flair, ended up in line for over 2 hours.  I tried to sell my Flair ticket, but didn't have any luck there.  I was frustrated because it's $79 for Flair to sign something and I wasn't happy with what I was getting signed.  The vendor that I bought the card from also had an original Great American Bash 1988 Program for $60.  I just didn't want to spend more money as I had spent quite a bit already.

Ultimately, I wasn't happy with the card, I love Jim Crockett Promotions and this is an original and official piece of JCP merchandise.  My favorite wrestling to watch is JCP from 1984 - 1988 and I love the Great American Bash tours, this was the last one under the JCP banner, also this was the first ever Great American Bash PPV and the last ever Crockett PPV.  My buddy Bradford watched my place in line and I ran back upstairs and bought it.

As I neared the front of the line many people saw what I was getting signed and that it was a cool piece to get signed.  Flair even remarked how nice it was.  After getting Flair to sign it I decided to spent another $60 to have Lex Luger sign it as he and Flair wrestled in the main event on the show.  He too thought it was a beautiful piece and talked about the match.  I've met Luger twice and both times he couldn't have been a nicer guy.

I debated having others at WrestleCon who appeared on the show sign the program as well, Arn Anderson and The Rock n' Roll Express, but then I thought, no I can't get everyone on the show to sign it, and they way Flair and Luger signed it, it was too perfect.  I couldn't be happier with how this piece turned out.

 

My plan is to frame it and hang it, however I'm going to share all the pages of the inside of the program at the end of this post.

Great American Bash 1988 Results

July 10, 1988 Baltimore Arena, Maryland

NWA World Tag Team Champions: "Enforcer" Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard with JJ Dillon wrestled Sting and "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff to a 20 minute time limit draw

The Midnight Express: "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton & "Sweet" Stan Lane with Jim Cornette defeated NWA United States Tag Team Champions: The Fantastics: Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers to win the championships

Tower of Doom Match: The Road Warriors: Hawk & Animal, "Dr. Death" Steve Williams, "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin, and Jimmy "Jam" Garvin with Precious defeated Al Perez, "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff, Kevin Sullivan, "Captain" Mike Rotunda, and The Russian Assassin with Gary Hart and "Mr. Number 1" Paul Jones

NWA United States Champion: Barry Windham with JJ Dillon defeated "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: "Nature Boy" Ric Flair with JJ Dillon defeated "The Total Package" Lex Luger by referee stoppage

Check out all of my posts from our wrestling trip to Philly

More Than Mania Philadelphia Adventure

More Than Mania Rasslin Photos

More Than Mania Mike with Friends and Rasslers!

More Than Mania Signed Cards

More Than Mania Wrestling Results

Read a blog post I wrote about The Great American Bash in general in 2017. 

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!

New Grail Card Update 2!

If you've been following this blog you may recall back on May 17, 2022 I posted about my new grail trading card, from the 1988 NWA Wonderama set, card #339 Four Horsemen.

The Second update was posted on February 11, 2023, here is the time line of events

May 9, 2022 I ordered the card on Ebay, total with tax and free shipping was $42.20 it was delivered on May 12, 2022. 

The first signature I was able to get Arn Anderson at Big Time Wrestling in Webster, Massachusetts he was managing Brock Anderson and Brian Pillman Jr. in tag team action who were wrestling FTR managed by Bret "Hitman" Hart.  Amazing right!

I got Arn to sign several cards that night, as well as FTR and got my picture with them and Brock Anderson.  It was a great night!

Next, I mailed the card to my buddy Brandon who attended WrestleCade 2022 held November 25 - 27 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  David Crockett was scheduled to attend and he doesn't do many signings.  I got 3 cards total signed by David, the other two NWA Wonderama cards already signed by Tony Schiavone.  He was also able to get Luger to sign it for me.  

Fiterman Sports Group out of Texas is the signing agent for "Nature Boy" Ric Flair.  I wasn't sure if I'd ever see Flair again, turns out I saw him in 2024 in Philadelphia, so I mailed the card off to a signing they were doing in Houston on January 15, 2023.  I mailed two cards, the second being another NWA Wonderama.  

That just left Tully Blanchard and JJ Dillon. Sadly neither appeared at WrestleCon this year.  Reaching out to others about JJ Dillon it was relayed to me that he is not in the best of health so was hoping to see him in Philly and was sad he didn't appear.

However, he and Tully as well as Barry Windham and Arn Anderson appeared at 80's Wrestling Con in Morristown, New Jersey on May 4th.  There was no way I was going to be able to go, but a friend of mine Erik had a friend name Antonio going to the show.  He connected us together and Antonio was going to be a huge solid and get it signed. 

I mailed the grail card to Antonio along with two other JJ Dillon Cards and two Tully Blanchard cards, all NWA Wonderama.  I figured might as well get some others signed.  Unfortunately during the event there was some confusion and he was only able to get Tully to sign the card.  He got JJ to sign the other cards, he just didn't give JJ the grail card.  

I can't be mad about it, he did a complete stranger a favor and he feels bad about it.  It is what it is, hopefully I can get JJ to sign this year.  Part of me wants to get that last signature myself in person, but at this point I just want to finish it off. 

 

Arn Anderson signed June 10, 2022 cost $25

David Crockett signed November 26, 2022 cost $40

Lex Luger signed November 26, 2022 cost $40

Ric Flair signed January 15, 2023 cost $87.89

Tully Blanchard signed May 4, 2024 cost $40

Total investment so far: $275.09

I think it would make sense that once complete send it to PSA for grading and authentication.  

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book Limitless Wrestling: The First Five Years, or any of my other books as well.  

Until next time!

Signed Trading Cards: Barry Windham, Ronnie Garvin, Lex Luger, & Magnum TA

This post is highlighting the cards that I acquired during my IndyMania Wrestling Vacation in New York City April 3rd - 6th, 2019.

The theme in this post that links the wrestlers together is the NWA: National Wrestling Alliance.  All these wrestling in this post were prominently featured in that promoting during the heyday of Jim Crockett Promotions.  The NWA Wonderama cards are among my all time favorite to get signed.

Barry Windham

These cards I got signed on Friday April 5th at the Wrestlecon Convention.  The first card is from the 1988 Wonderama set for Jim Crockett Promotions, the second card is from the WCW 1991 Championship Marketing set.  Previously I had gotten a WWF card signed of him and Rotunda at the US Express.  Windham is one of my all time favorites, he was so good in the ring especially for a man his size.  His flying clothesline was tremendous!

Ronnie Garvin

These cards I got signed on Friday April 5th at the Wrestlecon Convention.  The first card is from the 1988 Wonderama set for Jim Crockett Promotions.  The second card is from the 1989 WWF Classic set released by Game Time Inc.  I recently wrote a blog about Garvin and you can about it here: Ronnie Garvin: His NWA World Championship Matches

Lex Luger

These cards I got signed on Friday April 5th at the Wrestlecon Convention.  My intention was to get three cards signed and I brought the extra and ask if he would like them.  I gave away many cards to wrestlers on this trip.  Luger at first said thank you, but then signed them all and gave them to me saying he had boxes of them at home.

Cards 1 - 3 are from the 1988 Wonderama set for Jim Crockett Promotions, cards 4 & 5 are from the WCW 1991 Championship Marketing set.  Card 6 is from the 1993 Merlin set that was released in Germany.  The final card is from the 1999 WCW Topps Embossed set.  These seven cards really show the progression of his career.

Magnum TA

This card I got signed on Saturday April 6th at the Wrestlecon Convention.  I bought the card direct from Magnum TA. It is in the style of the 1982 & 1983 Wrestling All Stars trading cards but this one is not part of either set and the back is white and blank.  I had gone over to his table just to tell him that his I Quit Steel Cage match with Tully Blanchard is one of my all time favorites.  I'm really glad that I picked it up!  Previously I had gotten an NWA Wonderama card signed by him.

I spoke with David Peck http://www.1982wrestlingallstars.com/ an expert on the Wrestling All Stars trading cards.  He let me know that a Wrestling All Stars calendar came out in 1984 for Mid-South Wrestling and that this image of Magnum TA is from January in that calendar.  This explains why the back is white and there is no traditional text.

You can watch his You Tube video on the calendar here: 1984 Wrestling All Stars Calendar

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Later Readers!

WCW's Women's Division

Until the last few years the women's wrestling scene in the United States had been treated like a side attraction instead of a featured contest.  There were times in the WWE like in the mid 1980's with the Rock N' Wrestling era of Wendi Richter or early 1990's with Alundra Blayze where it was a strong mid-card attraction.

The American Wrestling Association revived their Women's Championship in 1984 until the promotion folded featuring Candi Devine, Sensational Sherri, Wendi Richter and others.  It was also around this time that several women's promotions started popping up such as GLOW, POWW, Delta Tiger Lillies, LPWA, and others.

Jim Crockett Promotions and later World Championship Wrestling attempted their own run at a women's division on a few occasions with minimal success.

Misty Blue

In 1986 Misty Blue was brought in, billed as the Women's United States Champion she wrestled Linda Dallas a dozen times and Kat LaRoux once in matches featured at house shows in February, April, & September.  She also made a single television appearance on the September 6, 1986 episode of WCW World Wide.

Misty Blue, Linda, & Kat returned in 1987 with Misty wrestling Linda a half dozen matches in February & April.  In July during the Great American Bash Tour wrestled Kat LaRoux for eight shows.

On August 29, 1987 in Houston Blue was billed at the NWA World Women's Champion defeated Camrade Orga.  On November 26, 1987 in Greensbobo, NC Misty Blue won a 7 women $15,000 Battle Royal, Kat Leroux, Linda Dallas, Jamie West, Venus, Mad Dog Debbie & Whitney Hansen

In February and March of 1988 Misty Blue, Linda, and Kat were back for a few house shows.  December 12, 1988 her whole troupe of girls made it to the WTBS studios in Atlanta for the World Championship Wrestling televisions tapings.  January 1989 they worked two house shows.

Susan Sexton vs. Bambi at Clash of the Champions XII

In September 1990 now under the Ted Turner WCW banner Women's Wrestling returned to TBS with a different group of ladies.  Bambi defeated Peggy Lee Leather on Worldwide and lost to LPWA Women's Champion Susan Sexton at Clash of the Champions XII in Asheville, North Carolina.  The two also faced off four house shows.

February 24, 1991 at Wrestle War 91 in Phoenix, Arizona live on Pay-Per-View, WCW introduced to the world of Joshi Puroresu.  The ladies of All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling; Itsuki Yamazaki & Mami Kitamura defeated Miki Handa & Miss A when the former Jumping Bomb Angel Yamazaki pinned Miss A.  The four ladies faced off at two house shows in Chicago and Georgia prior to the PPV with Miki and Mami switching teams.  Miss A is better know as Dynamite Kansai.

Miki Handa & Miss A vs. Itsuki Yamazaki & Mami Kitamura

These ladies wow'd this crowd as until this time they had never seen women's wrestling like this before.  Hard hitting, fast paced, and exciting the crowd got behind them.

Later that year in October Misty Blue, Linda Dallas, Kat LaRoux, & Black Venus returned for four house shows in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.  It would be there last tour in WCW.

Madusa has been in WCW as a valet for Rick Rude since 1991 and although she never competed in a women's match she did face Paul E. Dangerously in a series of 5 Minute challenges in November and December of 1992.

At World War III Pay-Per-View at the Norfolk Scope, November 26, 1995 women's wrestling returned to WCW for the first time in four years.  Once again they featured the stars of Joshi Puroresu in a cross promotional battled.  Bull Nakano & Akria Hokuto of All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling defeated Cutie Suzuki & Mayumi Ozaki of JWP.  The next night at Monday Nitro in Salem, VA the two teams faced off again with Nakano and Hokuto once again gaining a victory.

Ozaki & Suzuki vs. Hokuto & Nakano

Many wrestling fans will remember Nakano as a former WWE Women's Champion and her matches against Madusa who was known as Alundra Blayze in the promotion.

On December 18, 1995 Madusa showed up on Monday Nitro throwing the WWF Women's Championship in the trash.  Madusa would not return to WCW television until January 29, 1996 when she would lose to Sherri Martel in a short match on Nitro.  Madusa then had a series of matches with Col. Robert Parker in March and April.

In June of 1996 WCW really started stepping up their women's division with Madusa wrestling the likes of Bull Nakano, Akira Hokuto, Debbie Combs, Malia Hosaka, and Leilani Kai.  She even faced Nakano at WCW Hog Wild PPV in Sturgis, South Dakota on August 10, 1996.

Akira Hokuto with Sonny Onoo

November 1996 WCW teamed with the GAEA promotion from Japan to promote a tournament for the WCW Women's Championship.  Akira Hokuto defeated Madusa in the finals of the tournament to win the Championship at Starrcade December 29, 1996 in Nashville, Tennessee.

WCW and GAEA would also crown a WCW Women's Crusierweight Tournament that was won by Toshie Uematsu on April 7, 1997 in Huntsville, Alabama on WCW Main Event.

Toshie Uematsu

The Women's division in WCW from June 1996 until June 1997 was featured on Pay-Per-Views and Monday Nitro occasionally, however the weekend and syndicated shows heavily featured matches from both divisions including tournament matches.  The Women's division essentially came to and end on June 15, 1997 at the Great American Bash when Madusa lost a career vs. title match to Women's Champion Akira Hokuto. This would be Hokuto's last match in WCW.  Later in 1997 the WCW Women's titles were abandoned.

I re-watched that match at the Bash between Madusa and Hokuto was a damn good match.  Hokuto with a relentless onslaught and Madusa fighting back from the bottom until a knee injury slowed her down, but she wouldn't quit and continued fighting.  It was great!  The only downside was Bobby Heenan on commentary talking about how'd he never seen a women take such a beating and fight so hard, and ect.

Madusa would return to WCW in 1999 as part of Randy Savages entourage.  At this point the women in WCW were treated as eye candy and only had the occasional match which was usually a mixed tag, evening gown or other gimmick.

Madusa herself would go on to have matches with several male wrestlers like Benoit, Meng, and even defeating Evan Karagias for the Cruiserweight Championship.  However she did have a few matches with actual women wrestlers like Mona (Molly Holly), Rhonda Singh, Sherri Martel, and Patty Stone Grinder (Leilani Kai).

The best years in women's wrestling for WCW was in 1996 and 1997 but they needed to use Japanese talent to do so.  Also it seems that when it got to it height it just disappeared.  I very pleased that today women's wrestling is where it is on the independents, on the national scene, and around the world.  

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